Surrender to Love
by What About Love
Summary: She knew they could somehow be happy, if only they would just surrender to love. And he knew they could be happy, if she would only understand. Will/Karen
1. Chapter 1

The sounds of loud breathing echoed from the walls, resounding in her ears. She loved it when they were at that point in their feelings, almost to a climax. His hands squeezed her hips and her breath got caught in her throat, she sighed and shivered against his shoulder. Her legs pulled him deeper as she wrapped them tighter around his sweat covered waist, continuing to move with him.

"Oh, Karen." His lips caressed her ear in a whisper, and she smiled as he filled her. The motion stopped and he moved to kiss her lips, roughly. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his chest against hers, loving the feeling of his flesh upon her own.

"Don't move." He lay more weight atop her body, gently enough that he wouldn't hurt her, and he ran his fingers through her long, dark hair.

"You're so soft." He kissed down her cheek and her neck, but stopped when she giggled at his words. He met her hazel eyes with his, a furrowed brow.

"I'm sorry, honey, but no one's ever said that to me before. It's different."

"It's true. You're really soft, and delicate in your own way." She rolled her eyes, allowing him to peck her lips before pulling out of her and lying on his side. "Don't roll your eyes; I can give you a compliment whenever I want."

"Unless we're in front of anyone we know." She raised her eyebrows in a form of joke, but he didn't find her antics to be amusing.

They were always so different when they were alone, just the two of them. Two years had passed since they first made love: Karen and Will. Two years, and they still had only spoken to each other of their love. Not even Jack or Grace knew about their relationship. He just didn't want the drama.

It all began when Stan went to prison. They had seen a lot of one another, signing contracts or having business lunches. She cheated on her husband, and an immense guilt overtook her heart for a while. The loneliness was just too much to withstand so she abdicated to his kiss, and they soon found themselves to be lovers. Stan died a bit later, and Will was there for her more than the others.

He professed his love to her only recently, and she didn't miss a beat before returning his sentiment. They had fallen hard, with no return possible. The only problem was, nobody else knew. It made her feel as if he wasn't sure of his feelings for her sometimes, but other times she only wished he would surrender to his heart, to her.

"You know I love you, Karen. Just give it some time." He intertwined their fingers over her stomach, beneath the sheets of her bed.

"I've given two years amount of time."

"It wasn't possible to tell two years ago." She sat up on her elbow and looked straight into his eyes.

"But it is now. Damn it, Will, I'm so tired of lying to cover for us when we can just let it out." She stood from the bed and quickly stepped into her panties, clasping her bra as well while he spoke.

"Please, don't do this again. I love Grace and Jack way too much to lose them." She zipped her skirt, meeting his eyes once more.

"Who says they'll be angry? We've all been friends for so long that they should only want us to be happy." She looked to the ground, finding her shirt by the foot of the bed. She began to slide into it, buttoning the front. "Oh, honey, we've had this fight so many times that it loses its intensity."

"I'm sorry, but I just think we need to give it some more time." He stood and walked over to her, placing his fingers beneath her chin to tilt her face to his. Their lips touched and she sighed, nodding her head in defeat.

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"Honey, I told you the day you met him he was a vainglorious bastard." Karen was out to lunch with her sister, Gin, who was currently going through a custody battle for her three children.

"Enough with the 'I told you so' alright? I get enough of that from Mom." Karen smiled and took a sip of her martini. "Karen, I told you that drinking before noon means you're an alcoholic."

"Bullshit."

"I'm serious. Don't you remember how Grandpa was?"

"I'm not Grandpa. He'd be passed out drunk every night by nine o'clock. I can hold my liquor." Gin giggled, knowing she couldn't get through to her older sister if she tried. No matter how many times she insisted that she stop drinking, it never really made a difference in her actions.

"So, how's your lover?"

"Still insistent that we keep it a secret from our friends. You know, I'm not sure how to take that. Is he just cautious or what?"

"I'm sure he is only being cautious. He wouldn't have been with you this long if he didn't want to be, I'm sure."

"Thanks. Well, listen honey; I have to get back to the office. Grace is in Cambodia with her husband, and I'm actually supposed to work."

"I'll make sure to call you when we get the verdict this afternoon." She stood to hug her sister.

"Good luck, Virginia."

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Will was greeted by a long kiss when he walked into Grace's office. Karen had quickly rushed into his arms, so happy to see him. When she pulled away he began to laugh, pushing the door closed with his foot.

"Oh, Will, the lawyer you set my sister up with, he paid off. She won the case this afternoon."

"Well, I'm glad I could help." She walked over to her desk and took a seat, smiling as she closed a few magazines. "Do you want to come over tonight? Grace is coming home tomorrow, and I don't know when we'll have the chance to sleep at my place again since she'll be staying with me until Leo gets back." The door opened.

"Only if you cook me dinner."

"Cook for me too!" Jack announced his presence, flouncing over to kiss Karen's cheek. "What's the occasion?"

"He set my sister up with a great lawyer who just helped her win a custody case. We're celebrating, Poodle."

"You have a sister?"


	2. Chapter 2

She brought the joint to her lips and held her breath, allowing the smoke to linger until she had to let it out. Will, who had previously been watching her, moved closer to place kisses upon her shoulder. She took another drag and his tongue found its way to her earlobe, as well as his teeth. She released another breath and placed the source of her light-headedness in an ashtray by his bed.

"Why do you do that?" She pushed him onto his back and straddled him in a quick motion.

"I like to feel fucked up." She leaned down and bit his bottom lip. "So, fuck me." He shoved his tongue into her mouth and ran his hands over her bare back, down to her buttocks. He could taste the smoke in her mouth and it almost made him pull away, but he loved her too much to care for long. She reached down the length of his body and took him in her hand, eliciting a sigh from his throat. Her lips passed over his chin and neck on their trail to his lower stomach. She began to kiss his inner thighs.

He ran his fingers through her hair as she took him into her mouth. A deep breath passed between his lips, and he laid his head back against the pillow, pulling her hair a bit. She always seemed to find new ways of surprising him in bed. If it wasn't a new position here and there, it was a blowjob when he was expecting full-on sex. And she was always so gentle in a way that made him love her even more for caring about him that much.

She moved her lips and added suction when necessary until he began to shiver, and she stopped. His chest moved up and down quickly as she kissed back up to his lips, taking them tenderly with her own. He lifted her hips and pushed into her, finally finding a tight connection to her. She sat up, scraping her fingernails against his chest as she did so, while she moved her hips.

Many minutes later she collapsed against his chest, her eyes heavy, and her body weak. He wrapped his arms tightly around her frame, caressing her soft skin with his fingertips. She could feel his breath move across her shoulder and she leaned up to take his lips with her own.

She lifted her hips and rolled off him, leaning over the side of the bed for her flask. She took a sip and a deep breath, handing the flask to Will. He only closed the cap and laid it on the table.

"You drive me crazy, Kare." He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close. She smiled and cuddled against him, feeling his warmth on her own flesh.

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It always amazed her how quickly things went back to normal when Grace returned home. Karen had been taking care of most of the business decisions while her boss was away, but as soon as she returned their personal and work relationships returned as well. She began reading her magazines again, and Grace went back to her desk and her sketchpad.

"So, have you been spending much time with Will?" Karen smiled at the question, even though she knew she was the only one who understood her own reaction.

"Yeah, Jack and I ate supper over there the night before you came home. Why?"

"He's just different since the last time I saw him. I don't know, he seems…happier or something. It's like he's walking on air. He didn't even care that I left my shoes by the door last night."

So, he really was as happy as he said he was. She knew that he enjoyed being with her, but years of men lying to her to get what they wanted told her that it was possible he was just like them all. But deep down she knew he was different, in his own way.

The knowledge that he was happy gave her a feeling of excitement. She hadn't been able to stop smiling since he said he loved her, and she could feel it grow inside. It was possible to fall even more in love with him? She couldn't believe it, but that was what was happening. All she wanted at every moment of the day was his arms around her.

"Maybe he's just glad you're home."

"No, I think he's been seeing someone."

"You should ask him." She only wished he would give a truthful answer.


	3. Chapter 3

His lips tasted sweet, almost like an addicting drug. She loved how they moved against her own, almost in an urgent plea for her to latch onto him and never let go. He was the kindest lover, the kindest kiss, she had ever experienced in her life, and she was not planning on giving him up for anything.

Those beautiful lips, trailing between her breasts, made her sigh in pleasure. She was high, of course, but it was out of mere habit instead of a particular sadness. Her heart was light at the moment, but she feared going back to a point where she felt the pain of her past failures. They always plagued her weak mind when she wasn't under the influence of any herbal-induced joy, so she prevented that by trying to stay high often. She knew how much Will hated that.

He kissed between her thighs and she gasped at the suddenness of his bold motions. His tongue moved against his lips in a tantalizing pace that made her want to shout from sheer ecstasy. She felt him moving his tongue in a figure eight motion while he slid a finger into her body.

She whispered his name, as if on impulse, urging him to continue. The phone next to her bed rang, but there was no way she even thought about answering it. It couldn't have been that important, anyway. She was with Will, and she wasn't being taken away. It stopped ringing and she felt her stomach begin to slightly ripple within, warming. The answering machine picked up, and she heard her own voice. She felt his teeth for a brief moment.

"Aunt Karen, I need you." It was her niece, Ann, on the machine. She sounded like she was crying. "I need you to come and get me. I just missed the last bus and…" Will pulled away as she answered the phone, breathless.

"Ann? Honey, where are you?" He listened to her conversation and sighed, obviously disappointed for being interrupted. He lay next to her and kissed her shoulders and back as she spoke on the phone, agreeing to go and get her niece. When she hung up she found his lips in a kiss. "I'm sorry, Will, but she's drunk and…"

"Where is she?" Karen stood and began dressing.

"Brooklyn." He scoffed and stood as well. "Oh, no, honey, don't go. I won't be gone too long. Please, stay over." He silenced her by taking her shoulders in his hands.

"You really think I'm letting you go to Brooklyn alone at one o'clock in the morning?"

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They walked through the door, Karen allowing Ann to stay over for the night as well. Will took their coats and hung them in the closet while they walked into the living room. The sixteen-year-old girl wouldn't tell them what had happened to leave her stranded, but Karen wasn't the type of person to let things go, especially when it had something to do with her niece.

"Please, just drop it." Ann sat on the couch and held her face in her hands, her dark hair falling over her shoulders. Will stood in the corner and watched as Karen took a seat next to the girl, finding it very obvious that they were related. The Delaney genes looked as if they ran strong through the family.

"Honey, if you don't tell me what's going on I'll have to call your mother."

"So, call her. I'll tell her I just missed the bus." She met a pair of identical eyes and raised her eyebrows defiantly.

"I'll tell her you're drunk."

"Like you aren't?"

"Damn it, Ann, I won't tell her anything if you just spill. Stop playing games with me."

"I had sex with my boyfriend, and he dumped me afterwards. Literally, we were at the party, and he left me five minutes after we did it." Karen's eyes grew wide. Even though she knew how teenagers were, obviously she had been one, but it was always oddly surprising to hear how her nieces and nephews were growing.

"Oh." She stammered, so many questions going through her head. Was it her first time? Did they use a condom? Is she on the pill? Ann rolled her eyes at her Aunt's silence.

"It was my first time, and I'm on the pill. Okay?" Karen leaned forward and gave her a small hug, before standing.

"I won't tell your mom. Just tell her that you decided to stay over. Um…" She grappled for words. For the first time in her life, speaking of sex was making her nervous. "Well, if you need anything just knock on my door. You can stay in the guest room down the hall."

"Thank you, Aunt Karen. I appreciate it." She nodded and took Will's hand as she left the room, pulling him with her.


	4. Chapter 4

She leaned her head against the wall in Will's bathroom, sighing as the fluids of the needle coursed through her veins. It was a silly thing to do, shooting up, but she had begun to feel too many things recently. It seemed necessary at the moment.

Grace had left Leo, and she was the one who ended up being volunteered to go over to the house and get Grace's clothes. Apparently, Grace accused him of loving his work more than her, and cheating, and he didn't disagree. Harsh words were exchanged and she left with only her purse. Karen was going over to the apartment the next afternoon.

Her sister was angry with her for taking in Ann after a night of drinking. She made the mistake of lying when she didn't know that another parent had busted the party and called all the parents. Ann apologized and was grounded for a month while Karen was scolded by her younger sister for being irresponsible, not for the first time in her life. It made her feel as if she was only a failure in her sister's eyes, always having to be scolded. It also made her angry, as if she wasn't trusted with anyone else's life. She was the older sister, in her mind she was supposed to be superior.

A breath hitched in her throat, and her legs gave out for a moment. She caught herself from falling by grabbing hold of the sink, but she could feel her arms shaking. Maybe she had gone too far, she vaguely wondered. After a deep breath and a clearing of her voice, she stood tall and made her exit from the bathroom, back to dinner with her friends. Will was the only one who could see how taken with drugs she was; the others were too shallow to detect.

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Leo spoke incessantly as she carried another box of Grace's belongings to the doorway. Rosario was taking them from the door and loading them into the limo. It would have been a clever system if it weren't for the current resident of the apartment following her everywhere she went, trying his hardest explain the fact that he was not at fault for the demise of his marriage.

"Okay, honey, shut up." She turned to face him, her hands on her hips. "I'm siding with Grace, no matter what you say. I hate to break it to you, but if you would just talk to her instead of climbing the ladder of success so constantly, you probably wouldn't be in this situation." She knew exactly about what she was talking. Her marriage to Stan had begun to die the day he chose work over their marriage and it got worse enough that she found herself in the arms of another man, Will.

"You can't come into my home and talk to me like that." She continued to pack boxes.

"Well, if you would be quiet then I wouldn't have to talk to you at all."

"You're such a bitch." She rolled her eyes at his lame attempt to begin an argument with her and took another box to the door. "Wait a minute, those books are mine." He tried to take the box from her hands, but she fought him for it.

"They were on my list, so I'm taking them." She pulled, but he was stronger. "Damn it, Leo, let go. Stop being such a child."

"No, these are mine. You let go." Abruptly, the box ripped down the side and all the contents littered the floor next to their feet. She pushed his shoulder in anger before sitting on her knees and gathering books. He began to gather as well, and they were soon arguing again. Oh, how he infuriated her.

Suddenly, their eyes met and his lips were warmly pressed against hers. As if she were controlled by bodily impulse only, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him close. She couldn't have been able to fathom what she was thinking. Their tongues caressed, and she felt his fingertips upon her stomach, where her shirt had slid upward.

"Oh my God!" She pushed him away quickly, backing away as if his kiss had burnt. He looked as shocked as she, his eyes wide. It was at that moment she knew that it meant the same to him as it did to her, nothing at all.

"Karen…" She held her hand up to stop his words, shaking her head. If she had to be honest, she didn't want to hear a word he had to say. All she could do was turn around and leave. Rosario came back for the rest.


	5. Chapter 5

She had just returned from her lunch with Jack and sat behind her desk, fiddling with a magazine. She hadn't come in before lunch and needed to organize the mess. Grace was at her desk, contently sketching for a new client. It seemed as if she was lighter, like the weight of her marriage had finally been lifted from her shoulders.

It was the first time she had seen Grace since she packed up her apartment. Rosario brought the articles to Will's apartment, Grace's new home for the time being, and they had only spoken in 'thank you' through text messages.

"So, how was your morning?" Grace smiled at her assistant, tilting her head in question. At least she didn't have to worry about Leo telling her what happened, if she ever even had to know.

"Fine, thanks." She returned the smile, but knew that it was hardly genuine. No, she wasn't telling Grace just yet.

Either way, Grace wasn't the one she was really worried about telling. She still hadn't been able to speak of it to Will, and they'd spoken on the phone every night since the event occurred. It was just too difficult to know how he would react to her kissing another man, even if it meant nothing. And it was only a kiss. She would understand him being angry if she slept with another man, but a kiss could mean nothing at all, and it did. At least she hoped he would see it that way.

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Will walked into Karen's mansion after work, hanging his coat and setting his briefcase next to the door. He felt as if she had been avoiding him recently, for whatever reason, and he wanted to understand. There were few times, except for during the beginning of their relationship, that she was distant with him. Of course, she was still Karen. Her secretiveness was always a personality trait that was confusing, but the sudden distance felt different.

He walked into her bedroom, hoping to find her, but the room was empty. He turned to leave, but stopped when he heard a noise in her closet. When he peered through the door, he found her bent over a large trunk in the middle of the floor. She was sifting thorough something, he couldn't tell what. He walked closer and gently thrust his pelvis against her buttocks.

She screamed and quickly snapped to meet the gaze of her molester, finding his eyes. He looked into her hands to realize that she was holding a stack of old Polaroid pictures and a Bible. Everything looked so innocent about her stance, everything, that is, except her eyes. Her eyes were enraged.

"Are you out of your fucking mind? You scared me to death!"

"I just came over to see you." He placed his hands on her shoulders. "Wow, you're shaking. I'm sorry, Kare." She pulled away from him.

"What do you need, honey? I'm a little busy right now." She placed the items in her hands back into the trunk and slammed the lid.

"What is that?"

"It's nothing." She took his hand and led him from her closet, closing the door. "What did you come over for? You want to go out to dinner?"

"No, I was hoping to stay in and talk." She groaned and he leaned down to peck her lips. "So, what's in that trunk?" They walked over to sit on her bed as she told him about her newly acquired belongings.

"It's just some stuff that used to be my Dad's, pictures and his Bible and things like that. Lois sent it over this morning."

"You talked to your mom?"

"No, Rosie did. I haven't spoken to her in years, honey." She lay back against the bed, taking a deep breath. She looked tired to him, and he wondered if it had anything to do with the distance she had put between them. He lay next to her on his stomach, running his fingers through her dark hair and meeting her eyes.

"Karen, tell me what's bothering you." She licked her lips and searched for the words to explain without hurting his feelings. Her hand came to caress his cheek.

"I kissed someone, the other day."

"You what?" She sat up and took hold of his hand. Maybe it wasn't as easy as she thought it could be.

"It didn't mean anything. We were yelling at each other and we kissed, and I freaked out and left. But, Will, it didn't mean anything at all, I swear. I just didn't tell you because I didn't want you to be angry with me, but, God, its killing me to keep it a secret. Are you angry? Please say you aren't."

Her words were quick, unsure as well. She could see the color drain from his face at her confession, and she knew it was over. He was going to break up with her, or something. She could see his emotions playing out.

"Who was it?"

"It doesn't matter."

"You know, it kind of does."

"Leo."

"You kissed Leo?" He stood from the bed, allowing all his emotions to situate in his mind. He hand never wanted to hit anyone as badly as he wanted to hit Leo with Karen's confession. How dare he do that to Karen? How dare he do that to Grace? As he paced, Karen sat on the edge of the bed and watched, waited. She didn't know if she should speak or allow him to work everything out in his head. He wasn't reacting in a way that she could predict the outcome.

"I'm sorry, Will." He continued pacing for a moment, but stopped to look into her eyes. It almost broke his heart to see the tears streaming down her cheeks, the brown that her hazel eyes had turned at her confession. She scoffed and wiped the tears from her face. "I'm sorry."

"You felt nothing?"

"Nothing." She stood and took his hands in her own. "I love you, and I would never hurt you like that."

"I know." He leaned down and pecked her lips.

"Please don't leave tonight."

"I could never leave you." She smiled through her tears and pulled him into an embrace.

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She looked around, trying to find one of her friends in the crowded bar. They had taken Grace out to bring her out of her gloom over the loss of her marriage. Karen was sitting at the bar, drinking as if she would never again get the chance to do so. Life had been weighing a bit much on her in the past few days. Suddenly, she felt Jack's arms around her waist from behind, his lips upon her neck.

"Hey Poodle."

"I need a favor." She turned in her seat to look at him, smiling. "I met this really hot guy, and he wants to go back to my place. Can we borrow your limo?"

She nodded and he left with his sure to be one night stand intertwining their fingers. She smiled, vaguely hoping they wouldn't destroy her limo, before turning to look for Will. Ever since they discussed her brief dalliance with Leo, she felt closer to him. He hadn't been angry with her, as she had imagined. On the contrary, he was only upset that she kept it a secret.

He was speaking to a man across the dance floor, when she finally spotted him. The man was obviously gay, and obviously interested, but Will shook his head. It made her smile that he was with her. In a way, she felt pride to know that she 'had' something that other people couldn't have. She had a man she loved, and he returned that love in a way that she had never experienced before. She had Will.


	6. Chapter 6

"Oh!" Her body convulsed and she squeezed him tighter with her legs as her orgasm coursed through her veins, a moan escaping her lips. She felt him press harder against her chest, placing his hands on either side of her on her desk to keep steady, and he filled her as he shook.

"Oh, Kare." He whispered into her neck before finding her lips in a loving kiss. She pulled away and took a deep breath, leaning back upon her hands against the wood of her desk.

He pulled out and pecked her lips, pulling up his boxers and pants. He sat in her chair in front of her while she crossed her legs, sighing in complete satisfaction. After a moment, he leaned down to grab her thong from the floor, placing it next to her. They weren't too worried about Grace coming back, she was in a meeting with her divorce lawyer and wasn't due back for a few hours yet.

"Have I ever told you how amazing you are?" He smiled and blinked heavily.

"Have I ever told you that you look beautiful, even when your lipstick is smeared around your mouth?" She giggled and stood on her trembling legs, readjusting her thigh-high stockings before moving to the mirror to make herself more presentable. "I want to tell my parents about us." Her eyes widened and she turned to face him, her expression one of shock.

"When?"

"This weekend I want to take you there." She was surprised that he hadn't told his family sooner. Sure, he was known to be gay, but they _were_ his family. Even she had told her sister about it, though it had been when she was cheating on Stanly.

"I'd like that, honey."

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The evening had been perfect, nothing wrong seemed to happen. George and Marilyn were ecstatic when Will made his announcement, opening a bottle of champagne and hugging them. Dinner was wonderful, and they all enjoyed themselves up until it was time for bed. Will and Karen went upstairs to his old bedroom, and they began their preparations for bedtime.

She was applying lotion to her hands, taking off her jewelry and taking out her contacts, when there was a knock at the door. Will opened it to reveal his father, coming to tell his son goodnight. However, when they thought he was about to leave, he asked if he could have a word with Karen.

Her heart dropped. She had always had enough of a relationship with Marilyn that it wouldn't have been a problem to speak with her, but she and George had never really taken the time to get to know one another. Even so, she nodded, slipped on her glasses, and followed him out of the bedroom and into his office.

"Don't be nervous, dear. Have a seat." She nodded and took a seat on the small couch against the wall. He handed her a glass of water, which she was not used to, and sat next to her. "I'm well aware of the feelings my son has for you. He's only brought one other person home for us to meet. I'm curious, though. What exactly are you intentions with my son?"

She giggled a bit at his question, but stopped when she found that he was completely serious. It was funny to her that she was getting 'the talk' from her lover's dad. She understood that he was concerned, but it seemed as if the conversation would be more fitting if she were seventeen-years-old.

"Mr. Truman, my intentions are honorable, I promise."

"Karen, I don't want to sound judgmental, but it's come to my attention that you've been married three times before. I certainly don't want you to think I'm prying, but you really do love him, right?" She sat her glass on the coffee table in front of them and turned her body to face him. She took his hand in her own and met his eyes, hoping to allow him some understanding to her own thoughts.

"I do love him, more than anything. My first two marriages, well, you know how it is when you're young. They failed, but I didn't care for them the way I do for Will. Stanly, I'm not going to lie to you, I cheated on him to be with Will, and I honestly don't regret that choice."

"I apologize, but he's my son. I worry." She smiled, feeling a connection between them. It was odd, but she liked it a lot. She felt close to Will's parents in a way that she could never feel with her own.

"I worry too, and I'm planning on spending the rest of my life with him. So, please, don't feel like you have anything to be worried for."

He nodded and leaned forward to hug her, causing a smile to creep upon her face. They continued to speak, an hour passed, and she learned things about the family that she would have probably never learned, otherwise. She heard stories about Will when he was growing up, and they even got serious enough for him to briefly speak to her about his affair. It was nice to make that kind of connection with him, and she hoped it would continue to grow. He reminded her of her own father, in a way.

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She walked into the bedroom she was sharing with Will and took off her robe. He looked peaceful, and she silently eased herself into bed next to him. After placing her glasses on the bedside table, she wrapped her arm around him from behind. He jolted awake and turned to meet her eyes.

"I'm sorry I woke you, honey." He smiled and rolled over to hold her in his arms.

"What did my dad want? For a minute, I thought you weren't coming back."

"He just wanted to make sure I loved you more than life, and I do." He kissed her and, they drifted into a deep sleep.


	7. Chapter 7

"So, why did _you_ go with Will to his parents'?" Jack's question was asked with a squinting of his eyes. She met his eyes, swallowing a bite of her salad as she did so. It was surprising that he changed the subject so quickly. They were speaking about their shopping trip and the items they purchased, and, all of a sudden, he was asking about her and Will. It was unnerving.

"He asked me to?" She shrugged and took a sip of her wine.

"But, why did he ask you and not me or Grace?"

"I don't know, Poodle. Marilyn likes to drink with me, so maybe she asked him to invite me." He sighed, taking her hand in his. She met his eyes, nervously awaiting his words. He had a serious look on his face, and it made her uncomfortable. He was just about to open his mouth to speak when Gin stepped up next to the table, smiling and introducing herself to Jack.

She sighed in relief when Jack invited her sister to join them, insisting that she was fabulous. The conversation was forgotten, momentarily of course. Jack had never been one to drop any subject until he got a satisfying answer. She only hoped that next time she would be ready for his questions.

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She raised her hands in the air and felt the breeze pushing against her. They had rented a white convertible car and were on their way to an unknown destination. Will was driving, for he had a better sense of direction when it came to unknown places, and she watched him, feeling the wind against her face. It was so freeing.

As they passed the border of another county, she leaned up on her knees and kissed his neck, taking in his scent. It felt like they were escaping from something, getting away from everything that was tying them down.

"Oh, honey, I love you." She smiled as she pulled away from his neck, leaving one last kiss against his skin. "Let's do something crazy." He laughed.

"We rented a car and left our jobs to go joyriding. That's not crazy enough for you?"

"No, I mean, let's go get tattoos or make love in public. Come on, think of something." She giggled and bounced in her seat, smiling. It didn't matter what they did, really. All she cared was that they were together.

"Let's get married." Her heart jumped and she stopped moving. He sensed her shock and looked at her, smiling. "I'm serious, Karen, marry me."

"You want to marry me? What about our friends?" Her voice turned softer at his suggestion, taking on the soberness of the moment.

"You've wanted to tell them forever, and I want to too. Come on, what do you say? Be my wife."

"Okay, find a place. Let's do it." She leaned over and kissed him on the lips, smiling at the idea of what they were getting ready to do.

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He kissed her as they entered the hotel suite, stumbling through the door in their excitement. They found a small chapel on the side of the road and eloped, simple as that. In one swift motion, he lifted her dress over her head and tossed it to the floor. That night they made love as husband and wife, barely worrying about the future consequences of their actions.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Karen opened her eyes to feel the weight of Will's body beneath her face. His arms were wrapped tightly around her and she smiled at the feeling of security. She could have spent every morning for the rest of her life in his arms. Then she thought for a moment, she _could_ do that. She looked up into his face to find his brown eyes staring back into her own, smiling.

"Good morning, Mrs. Truman." She smiled and bit her bottom lip.

"Oh, we really did that, didn't we?" He nodded and pulled her on top of him, their stomachs caressing. She kissed his lips and he ran his hands across her back. "Will, we didn't think anything through. Where are we going to live? How are we going to tell our friends? We don't even know if we'll be able to live together without killing each other."

"But we're in love. Isn't that the only reason we should need?" She smiled and pecked his lips. She had been married three times before, and she knew that there were a million different things to hold a couple back from succeeding. There were a million things of which they didn't even consider. But she didn't want him to have any doubts at all about marrying her. So, she ran a hand through his hair.

"That's all I need."

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"Where the fuck have you been?" Grace's voice could have shattered glass when it met their ears.

They stayed a while longer in the hotel suite, making love and talking about the future. After a two hour drive home, they entered his apartment to find an angry Grace. Karen grabbed Will's hand in a form of nervousness, and he took a deep breath. It wasn't that they were scared of Grace herself, they just didn't know how she would take their relationship, let alone their marriage.

"We rented a car and drove for a while."

"And you didn't think to call, or even invite your other friends to go."

"Well, Gracie, we would have, but we decided to get married instead." A moment passed before Grace burst into laughter. It could have been predicted that she wouldn't believe them, but it could also be predicted that she was getting ready to fall into anger.

Karen and Will each held up their left hands, showing off the rings they had temporarily exchanged. He was wearing her thumb ring, and she was wearing his college ring that he always wore. Grace's laughter ceased and she scoffed in confusion.

"What?"

"We found a place on the side of the road and got married." He walked closer to her, letting go of Karen's hand. "Karen and I have been together for about two years, and we're in love. I know this is crazy and a huge surprise, but it's true, and we want your support."

She pushed him away, a disgusted look upon her face. Jack opened the door and gave Karen a peck on the lips, unaware of what was happening. Grace began to walk back and forth, mumbling to herself. Suddenly, she met their eyes before grabbing her purse and walking out the door. Jack curiously turned back to face Karen.

"Karebear, what's going on?" She held up her hand and smiled, hoping he would catch on. "You're wearing Will's ring?"

"Yeah, honey, we got married." Jack giggled and hugged her before rushing over to hug Will as well. "Wait, you believe us? And you're happy about this?"

"Of course I am. I'm glad you finally told us." She looked at him, questioningly. He rolled his eyes and smiled. "I've been talking to your sister over the phone. She thought I knew."

"You're not mad?" He shrugged and continued to smile, utterly happy for them.

"Shouldn't I just be glad you two are finally happy? Come here." He pulled her into another hug and began to jump.


	8. Chapter 8

Karen walked into Grace Adler Designs with only one intention; she was going to make Grace accept her and Will's marriage. It had only been a few days since they announced their unforeseen marriage, but she knew that her friendship needed to be restored before life could continue. There was no way she was letting her best friend stay away.

She and Will hadn't decided what they were going to do, in terms of their current living situation. He loved his apartment, but it was just too small for the both of them. He suggested her penthouse, but she had always hated the coldness of the walls, so the answer was negative. They would have to find an apartment together, something for the future. But for the present, they were sleeping where they happened to be when it was time for bed.

"Hi, Gracie." She felt the heat of her friend's eyes upon her as soon as the words were spoken. It looked to be a quiet day at the office so she didn't mind too much that she was interrupting. "We should talk."

"Why do you think I have any interest in speaking to you?" Her voice was cold and irrationally bitter.

"Damn it, honey, you need to stop being such a child. You need to start being happy for the people you love, and I can't feel right about this until we have your blessing." She slammed her pencil upon the desk and walked to Karen, quickly. It was surprising, and she involuntarily took a step backwards.

"I'm a child? Children lie and play games. Children sneak around and see what they can get away with, or they hurt other people's feelings without thinking about the consequences, as long as it benefits them. Karen, I'm only reacting the way I know how to this childish situation."

"Grace…"

"You cheated on Stan, didn't you? You said you'd been together for two years, but he's only been gone for one." She walked back to her desk and took her pencil in her hand once again. "You know the way out."

She couldn't believe Grace's reasoning for acting the way she was. It wasn't what she expected. There was no jealousy over Will, and the fact that they were in love wasn't an issue. The reason Grace was so upset was because she cheated on Stan, and they continued lying to everyone. She was angry because they were secretive.

"Listen, we wanted to tell you earlier, but we knew you'd react this way. It's hard enough to keep a relationship going when you don't have to worry about how your friends will react. I can't change what happened, Grace, but we can put it behind us. Just…call me when you're finished being angry." She turned from the redhead and walked out the door, listening to the clicking of her heels against the hard floor.

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She trailed the tip of her finger over his bare chest as he held her close, after they made love. His hands were warm against the smooth skin of her back, and it made her feel safe. She placed a small kiss upon his chest as she rolled away from him to find a bottle of wine next to the bed. Her hand was almost around the neck of the bottle when his came to rest atop her own, as he rolled on top of her to stop the drinking.

"What are you doing, honey?" She tried once more to reach for the bottle, but he stopped her again.

"We're having a nice time together. Why can't you let yourself be sober for a while?"

"I'll be happier if I'm drunk." She smiled, trying to break away from his grip to take the bottle in her hand. "Come on, let go."

"I want you to stop drinking so much."

"Will, this is ridiculous." She pulled his arms away from her and stood from the bed. He watched her pale body glimmer in the light of the moon that was shining through the window as she found her purse and took it to the bathroom with her.

She pulled the syringe from a small pouch in her purse and quickly injected it into her veins. A deep breath passed between her lips as she waited long enough to regain the strength in her legs. It was silly to think that she could escape life with a simple press of a needle, but it was what she often did. Life wasn't terrible, by any means, but she wanted it to remain cheerful and calm. So, in order to forget her past regrets, she popped a few pills in her mouth and swallowed before returning to bed with Will.

"I need you to stop being an alcoholic." He was sitting on the edge of the bed, naked, and facing her as she entered the room. She blinked hard so her vision wasn't so blurry, but it didn't help.

"I'm not an alcoholic, sweetie." She moved closer to him and straddled his lap, pushing him upon his back. "I just like to feel…"

"I know you 'just like to feel fucked up.' Well, Karen, if we're going to spend the rest of our lives together, you can stay drunk or stoned all the time. I want all of you, not just…are you high right now?"

"You're crazy." She tried to sit up, but he grabbed her face with his hands. As he struggled to pull her eyes into view, she struggled to get away from him. He rolled her over to her back, holding her down. "Get off me!"

"Look at me!" The movement stopped and she looked at him, angrily. He met her eyes with every ounce of care showing through. She began to cry. "Why are you such a mess when your life is so good?"

"I don't want it to go bad." He kissed her lips, wiping some tears from her cheeks. "It always goes bad, and I just end up with regrets."

"Karen, I love you more than anything. No more regrets, no more drugs."

"No." She sobbed, wishing so much to go back to the moments before when they were filled with a feeling of bliss. "Please, stop."

"I won't stop until you promise."

"No."

"Karen, look at me." He roughly held her face still as he burned his sentiment into her eyes. "Promise me you'll stop."

But if she stopped then she would remember all the reasons why she began to drink in the first place. She would remember her childhood, her mother's emotional abuse and her father's untimely passing. She would remember how she felt the day her Government professor pressured her to lose her virginity to him, his hands squeezed and groped her in all the wrong ways. And most of all, she would remember the life she had always dreamed she would live, but she never had.

Only two things had stayed solid since her first husband began to cheat on her: alcohol and drugs. It was what she had known since she made an adult film in college, and it was what currently numbed her soul from pain. But she loved Will, and she didn't want him to leave. She didn't want him to see her as a boozed out, honey-drip.

She wouldn't promise anything, but she would try to stop. She would tell herself that it was for him. Yet, in her heart, she knew that it would be for herself as well. She knew it was time to move on. If only she had faith that she could.


	9. Chapter 9

She looked at one of her expensive dresses, one that she got on a trip to Paris. It was a lovely trip she had taken with Stan, their honeymoon. The dress was silk, beautifully cut, and the color was the same as the red rose she received when they arrived. It still looked the same, so soft, but it had lost something over the years. The sentiment of love and happiness didn't exist when she looked at it anymore. All she felt was regret. Regret because she didn't get out of her failing marriage before they both got hurt, before they cheated on one another.

As she bit her lip, she took a pair of scissors she had been using to cut tape for her boxes of clothing, and she cut the train. She pulled away, as if the fabric burned her skin for a moment. Then, after laying the scissors on the floor, she took each side of the ripped train in her hands and tore it all the way up the front.

"Karebear?" Jack poked his head through the door of her closet, and she quickly wiped the tears from her cheeks, turning to face him. "What are you doing? That's the dress from your honeymoon."

"It's lost its value." She tossed it to the side, and picked up a cigarette from her ashtray, taking a long drag.

"And you're smoking?" He sat next to her on the floor, placing a hand upon her shoulder. His hand felt warm against her skin, through the thin fabric of her silk nightgown. She hadn't bothered to dress. "You hardly ever smoke."

"How the hell do you know? I could chain-smoke all the time, but stop whenever you're around, and you wouldn't know."

"But you don't." She rolled her eyes, knowing he was right. She hadn't smoked in years. It was just a new replacement for the pills and alcohol. Will didn't know about it, and she wasn't planning on telling him, even though it would be almost impossible to hide.

"What do you want, Poodle? I'm kind of busy."

"I came to help you pack. Will found a bigger apartment, in our building on the fifteenth floor. That means you two could live close." She finished her cigarette and lit another, breathing the smoke into the air.

"I didn't even know there were fifteen floors in that building." She stood and walked over to her shoes, beginning to pack them in a box. She wanted to be careful, for fear that they would get scuffed in the process. "I guess that works for me. It'll be nice to live there. It'll also give me a reason to pack instead of just doing it for fun."

"What's wrong with you?" He stood and moved over to her, taking the cigarette out of her mouth, dabbing it out in the ashtray. "You seem sad about something."

"I'm not."

"Have I ever told you you're a bad liar?" She met his eyes with slight shock, and maybe a bit of discomfort. Nobody had ever told her that. Had they all seen through her lies? That was her basic form of survival, the way she hid her true self from everyone. "Are you unhappy with Will?"

"Of course not, I love him." She was quick to answer because she already knew that Will wasn't the problem. But if she had to be honest, she didn't know what the problem was. If she had to pinpoint symptoms, or anything of the sort, she couldn't. There were none she recognized. "I don't know what it is, honey. I'm just a little stressed, I guess."

"About what? You should be excited."

"Will is making me stop drinking. And he's making me stop taking pills too. He thinks I have a problem. Can you believe that?" She shook her head, sighing at the frustration. "I don't want to stop, honey, I like the way all of that makes me feel. Who the hell will I be once all of it's out of my system?"

"You'll still be Karen, just a little more sober." He placed his hands on her shoulders and gave her a soft smile. He was excited that she was going to stop all of the self-destructive things she had been doing, but he wished she would have the same feeling. "I love who you are when you're real, that's how I know you'll be fine."

"Jack, can I tell you a secret?" He nodded and she fought with herself for a moment, wondering if she really wanted to admit what she was feeling. She began to tap her foot in a form of nervousness. "I'm scared."

"Oh, Kare." He pulled her into a hug, and she quickly responded. She pressed her cheek against his shoulder and let a few tears fall. "You don't have to be scared because I'll help you. And I know Will is going to take care of you every minute he can."

"Honey, can you hold me for a little while?" She pulled away and met his blue eyes in question. He smiled and they sat on her lounge chair in the corner while he held her in his arms, so glad that he could be there to comfort her in a moment of doubt.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Will watched as she left his bed in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom. She was clad in only his long shirt that she tended to wear when she spent the night. He smiled at his wife, but frowned a bit when she took her purse with her and closed the door. She hadn't done any drugs, to his knowledge, in a week and he was so proud of her, but he couldn't help wonder why she needed her purse in his bathroom.

He stood from the bed and moved to press his ear against the door. If he hadn't had such a gut feeling that something was happening then he would have just trusted her, but for some unknown reason he couldn't. He heard the sound of a box opening, possibly. It was difficult to distinguish what the noise could have been. Before he could hold himself back, he knocked on the door.

"Karen? Are you alright?" She jumped at the sound of his voice, thinking he was still asleep.

"Yeah, honey. I'm just a little sick to my stomach." He knew it was a lie; she was getting easier to read.

"Can I come in? I have some medicine in my cabinet that might help."

"I know, I already found it. Thank you, though." Another lie, he could tell. He heard her continuing to use the bathroom and wondered what could be taking her so long. It could've been an invasion of privacy, but he was worried about what she was doing. It seemed too suspicious for his liking.

"Let me in."

"Will, leave me alone." He tried to turn the doorknob, but it was locked as he had expected. She opened the door, smiling. He noticed that she was suddenly wearing a pair of pajama pants she had left in his laundry. "Can't I pee without you picking at me?"

"Don't get offended when I ask this, but were you really just in there to use the bathroom?" Her eyes narrowed and she began to speak, but he knew the familiar look behind her eyes. "Don't you dare lie to me, Karen."

"Stop talking to me like that. You aren't my parent."

"I realize that, but I want to make sure you weren't doing any drugs in there." She rolled her eyes.

"I was trying to take a pregnancy test, okay?" His mouth almost fell open at the shock.

"Oh, sweetie, that's great. When do we find out?" She shook her head and walked back to the bed, placing her glasses on the night table. He awaited her answer, but she was taking too long for him. "Karen, when?"

"I didn't have a chance to take it. I just started my period." His heart seemed to stall at the slight hint of sadness in her voice. She hid it well, but he knew she was disappointed. He moved over to the bed and sat in his spot, pulling the covers over his legs.

"You know, I heard that sometimes women still have their periods even if they're pregnant."

"I know you're trying to help, Will, but can we just forget about it?" He nodded and scooted further into the bed. After placing a soft kiss upon her cheek, he pulled her close and held her until sleep overtook her sober mind.


	10. Chapter 10

She rolled over for the hundredth time, unable to get comfortable. Will had left for work two hours earlier, but she couldn't bring herself to leave his bed. It was just one of those days that she didn't feel like getting up.

It wasn't that she was exactly sad, but she felt a sort of emptiness. She was so excited when she thought she might have been pregnant, the prospect of being a mother made her giddy, but it was too short-lived for her to feel a sincere joy. Motherhood was never before appealing to her, but she suddenly found herself with that chance, and it made her think about the future. She realized that she wanted a baby; maybe more than anything she could possibly want at that moment.

Her phone began to ring on the table next to her glasses, and she picked it up to look at the caller ID. It was a number that she didn't recognize and she furrowed her brow in curiosity. After pressing the green button, she lifted the phone to her ear.

"Hello?"

"Aunt Karen? It's Ann."

"Honey, are you crying? What's going on?" She sat up on the bed and prepared to intently listen to her niece.

"Mom was in a car accident, they called me at school."

"Oh my gosh, is she okay?"

"She's in surgery right now. I don't know what's happening, they won't tell me. I need you."

"Calm down, alright? I'll be there as soon as I can. Now, where are your brother and sister?" She stood and began to find an outfit in one of her suitcases.

"They're with me. Please hurry, Karen. I'm freaking out."

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After a telephone call to Will, she took her limo to the hospital. He said he would arrive as soon as he could, but she got there alone and rushed to find the children. It only took her a moment or so to find them huddled together in a waiting room around the ER.

"Aunt Karen!" Her youngest nephew rushed to hug her, tears continuing to stream down his little face. She lifted him into her arms, groaning at the weight of his body. He had recently turned six years old, and he was getting bigger every time she saw him.

"Hi Jonas, I've missed you."

"I missed you too." She began to walk over to the girls, carrying him with her. "What's happening with Mommy?"

"We'll find out, okay?" She sat him in one of the little white chairs, hugging Ann and her fourteen year old sister, Susie. Will entered the room to find the four family members in a tight embrace. It was at that saddened moment that he realized how much Karen loved those kids, and it broke his heart to see them crying upon her shoulders.

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Her breathing was heavy as she entered the bathroom, locking the door behind her. She was glad that nobody could see her having a panic attack. It was too much for her at the moment. Her little sister was in the operating room, and nobody could tell them what exactly was happening to her. She was so scared.

She was glad Will arrived when he did because she couldn't contain herself for much longer, and she didn't want to leave the kids alone. She began to cry, leaning over the sink as she hyperventilated. It was too much.

Suddenly, she hurried to one of the stalls and vomited, unable to stop herself. The feeling of worry was foreign to her, for she had been so numb for years. Yet, sudden sobriety had given her the harsh ability to feel. She leaned against the wall, taking deep breaths, sobbing. So many emotions, and they physically hurt.

After a moment of ruthless despair, she walked over to her purse on the counter and took a small baggy out of the back pouch. She poured the white powder upon the counter and quickly took a credit card from her purse, forming a line. She didn't know why she hadn't thrown the baggy away, nor did she know why it was with her, but she didn't care at the moment. All she wanted was to stop feeling emotion. She quickly grabbed the small tube from her purse and the powder was gone, invading her mind.

----------

"Karen, are you okay?" She returned to the waiting room to find Jack and Grace sitting next to Will. Jack rushed to her and pulled her into an embrace. She would've begun to cry if she wasn't overtaken by drugs, for which she would feel guilty later.

"Yeah, Poodle, thanks for being here." He smiled and pulled away, taking her hand as they walked to sit down. Will put an arm around her, but she only looked at Grace, who returned the gaze with a shrug. "Honey, what are you doing here?"

"One of my best friends needed support." She gave a soft smile. "We can talk later, if you want."


	11. Chapter 11

She cringed as her black heels sank into the ground while she walked to her limo. Will, Grace, Jack, Ann, Susie, and Jonas were walking with her as they left the hillside, along with the other family members. She found her mother's face for a moment, but they didn't speak as she watched her little sister's casket being lowered into the ground. Even though most of the people around her were sobbing hysterically, she was too high. Will didn't know, or if he did, he didn't say anything.

They arrived shortly at Gin's home, deciding that the wake should have been there, as well as the reading of her will. Karen sat with Will at the kitchen table, eating some of the cocktail snacks and chatting a bit. Suddenly, she felt a hand upon her shoulder and she turned to face someone she never wanted to speak to again.

"Hi, Kiki."

"Lois." She turned back around to Will to continue their conversation, but her mother took her hand and harshly pulled her from her chair. She tried to get her hand away, but Lois didn't let go until they were in the garage, out of everyone else's earshot. "What the fuck are you doing?"

"I'm trying to talk to you!"

"I don't want to even be in the same room as you, let alone have to speak!"

"Damn it, Karen, you were always so difficult!" Their breathing was heavy, but composure was quickly gained and Lois spoke more calmly. "Listen, you are the only child I have left, and I want to put everything behind us right now."

"Spare me your bullshit, Christopher lives in New Jersey." Christopher was her younger brother, the middle child. He had left home a year after Karen, but she knew he still spoke to their mother.

"Yes, but he isn't my daughter."

"Neither am I."

"Don't start that with me. Gin told me you got married again." She crossed her arms over her chest, wishing she could leave.

"Yes."

"Congratulations. She said he was a really nice guy."

"He is."

"Are you two thinking of children?"

"Lois, if you care too much you can call me sometime and we'll go to lunch, but I don't really want to do this right now." She walked back into the house, glad that her mother didn't follow very closely.

When she returned to find her friends, she realized that they had already begun to read the will. She sat next to her husband and took his hand, waiting to hear what her sister had left behind. All of her money went to the kids, evenly split into trust funds, and her apartment was going to be taken by her beloved maid, who had been with her for years. The last item on the list had to do with the custody of her children, who were soon to learn that they would be living with their Aunt Karen. At the news, she almost vomited.

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Will's hands brushed across her stomach as he hugged her from behind, placing his chin upon her shoulder. She smiled at the warmth of his embrace and pressed her cheek against his, placing her hands over his. It had been a long day, and it felt good to be held in his arms, so lovingly.

They had spent the majority of the day moving the children's belongings into the manse. Yes, they had decided to live in her mansion for the time being. She was at least glad that she hadn't moved too many of her things into boxes, it saved time for her to help Will and the children. Only a few more boxes left, but they all decided that it was time for bed. She checked on the kids, unsure of what she was supposed to say to them.

It was difficult for her, losing her little sister so quickly and without chance to say goodbye, but she knew it had to be so much worse for the children. They had always been such a close family, Gin made sure of that. It probably had a lot to do with the distance between all of them when their father died, and Lois moved them around. Then, Karen left, their brother left, and she was alone with their mother and step-father. She wanted to be certain that her own children never felt as lost as she had.

"Why would she leave them with me? I'm not exactly maternal." She felt him chuckle a bit before he placed a small kiss upon her cheek, holding her tighter.

"Maybe not, but she trusts you."

"Trusted."

"No, she still does. Don't you believe in God and heaven?"

"Of course I do, but even God knows I'm incapable of parenting a child. Why do you think I've never had one?" She felt his fingers caress her stomach through the thin fabric of her nightgown, her breath stalled for a moment.

"He works in mysterious ways, Kare. You are the closest thing to a mother these kids are going to have for the rest of their lives, and your relationship was close when Gin was here, so you know they already respect you."

"And you'll be here to help." He nodded, placing warm kisses upon her neck. She smiled, let out a short giggle, before running her fingers through his hair. His hands trailed upward, over her breasts. A sigh escaped her lips, and she felt his pelvis pressed tightly against her buttocks.

"You're incredible." His words were sweet, and she believed he was telling the truth to his knowledge, but she felt as if they were lies. She had been doing drugs, drinking when he wasn't around. She was fine until her sister was in the hospital, but the emotions were too much to handle at that point, and she has succumbed to her addictions once again. But they were suddenly worse than ever.

His hands brought her out of her thoughts when they began sliding her nightgown straps over her shoulders. It quickly fell to the floor, leaving her clad in her bra and matching thong; his hands quickly returned to her soft stomach. Normally she would've been overtaken by the idea of making love, and she would have already taken the lead, but she wanted to be the one to follow.

The feeling of his lips against her shoulder blades made her close her eyes in excitement, and he continued to move down to the clasp of her bra, undoing it in a swift motion. His tongue tapped her skin as he turned her around, and he kissed from her stomach down to the line of her panties. She looked down into his eyes as his gentle kissing ceased, and he smiled.

"Why did you stop?" Her words were a small whisper, and he placed his lips against her stomach for another moment, his hands pulling her thong down to her ankles.

"I just want to look at you for a minute." Her cheeks felt warm, and she was a bit embarrassed. Of course he had seen her fully naked, many times, but the fact that he wanted to observe her body was different.

He took her hands in his and stood, taking a step back to run his eyes over her body. She bit her bottom lip, wishing he would just stop. She didn't feel like she was worth looking at, making love to. She was too vulgar to make love; she was the kind of woman who was only good for a quick fuck. In her mind, she was barely worth the light of day.

"Stop." She reached down to get her nightgown, covering herself with it. "Are we going to fuck or not?" He was confused, his face contorting at the shrill sound of her voice. She seemed so cold.

"What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing." She walked over to the bed and turned off the light, leaving them only illuminated by the streetlights outside the window. She felt that her features weren't as harsh in that light. "Let's do it." He rolled his eyes, walking over to his side of the bed.

"Karen, if you don't want to make love then we won't. I was just trying to be romantic with you." He sat down and pulled the blanket over his legs, pulling off his shirt and tossing it to the floor. She remained naked, wrapped in the silk.

"Staring at me is not romantic."

"It is to me. I just wanted to make love to you."

"Can't you see I'm not worth it?" She almost gasped when she said the words aloud, never wanting him to know how insecure and how guilty she was feeling. He quickly sat on his knees and moved towards her, taking her face in his hands.

"You are worth more to me than my own life and everything else in it. Why would you ever think you weren't?" _Because, I lie to you and snort coke behind your back. I've been drinking, taking pain pills, and shooting up when you aren't looking. I'm vulgar. I'm ugly._

"I'm sorry, honey. I'm just a little sad, you know, about Gin." That wasn't necessarily a lie, but it wasn't the whole truth. She leaned forward and kissed him hard on the mouth, pushing him onto the bed and tossing her nightgown to the floor.


	12. Chapter 12

She walked into Ann's bedroom, a whole week after her mother's funeral, to find her playing her guitar on the bed. Karen smiled at the fact that she was very talented at playing the instrument, and she sat down next to her, crossing her legs in front of her on the bed. A soft melody flowed from the acoustic, hitting her ears in a peaceful slumber.

The song was a ballad, a lullaby that her father used to sing to her when she was young. She and her sister loved it so much that they learned how to play it on guitar. She had long since forgotten the skill, but Gin had apparently remembered and taught her eldest daughter. And she was wonderful.

"That's as far as I can remember." Ann suddenly stopped and looked to Karen, softly smiling.

"It was very good, honey." She took a sip of her martini, smiling.

"I thought you stopped drinking. Will said you did."

"I stop when he comes home from work." Her niece gave her a look of disapproval, and she shrugged. "I know, honey, but it's a lot harder to stop than you think."

"I stopped smoking, and that wasn't as hard as they say it is." She went back to quietly picking her guitar strings.

"Okay, it's different for all people. And you're too young, why were you smoking?" She shrugged, and the subject was dropped. It didn't really matter anyway, it couldn't have been changed.

"Will you tell me a story about you and my mom when you were close to my age?" Karen thought for a moment, trying to remember something that was good, but it was difficult. There were so many years between the present time and her childhood, so many things she had repressed. Then she remembered.

"When I was fifteen, your mom and I decided that we would skip school one day and take a bus to some huge shopping mall, I forget exactly where it was. Long story short, she got a tattoo. Oh, Lois was so pissed." She laughed a bit at the memory, the look on her mother's face when she finally found out about the tattoo.

"Mom had a tattoo? Where at?" Ann was shocked that her mom, straight-laced Gin, would have a tattoo.

"Right on her ass. It was a little heart with her boyfriend's name. They broke up a few weeks later."

"Why didn't you get one?" Her smile faded for a moment, she remembered why. It was something she hadn't forced herself to think of since she was older, married several times afterward. She took a deep breath and finished her martini, stopping too much thought from invading her mind.

"I was with some guys, doing coke in a back room…or at least paying for it." She remembered so clearly, his face as he pressed her against the wall, placing a hand over her mouth to stifle her screams as his friend watched. She never told another soul. He lifted her skirt and plowed into her without consent, and she spent years of her life drowning that memory in alcohol and prescription drugs, cocaine and heroine. "I didn't mean to say that."

Ann didn't say a word, knowing that her aunt would have never spoken about something like that to just anyone. It was understood that it was to be their secret, and she sat her guitar on the floor. She scooted close and pulled Karen into a hug, running her hands over her back in comfort.

"Please, never forget how much we all love you, Aunt Karen." She wrapped her arms around the teenager's body, still holding to her martini glass. She allowed the young woman to hold her while she held back a tear, maybe not about the rape, but everything that was going through her head. She thought about the kids, her guilt towards her husband, and the absence of her little sister.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

She walked into Grace Adler Designs with a slight feeling of nervousness. It had been a while since she had been there, and her friendship with Grace was still pretty damaged. It was repairable, of course, but the idea of spending so much time apologizing for something she shouldn't have to apologize for was not at all appealing. But when she opened the door, her eyes were caught by a shocking sight.

"Oh my God!" She turned away from her boss, lying beneath a man on the large desk in the middle of the room, gasping for air. Grace shrieked and hurriedly pushed him off her while Karen stepped into the hallway, closing the door behind her. She covered her mouth with her hand and suppressed a small giggle.

It wasn't embarrassing for her, it had no reason to be, but she knew that Grace would be mortified. Suddenly, the door opened and Leo walked past her. Her eyes widened as he nodded an embarrassed greeting towards her, before he walked to the elevator to leave. Grace soon appeared behind her, clothes tousled and her hair messy.

"Karen, what brings you here?" She began to laugh, perhaps for the first time since her sister's death. She walked past Grace and entered the office, hanging up her coat.

"Oh, honey, you can't even begin to think I'm just going to ignore that." Grace closed the door and stood still, awaiting her assistant's ridicule. Karen turned to meet her eyes. "Leo?"

"I know what you're thinking, but we talked and…"

"You talked? And while you were doing all this talking, did you remember that he cheated on you?" She put her hands upon her hips, tilting her head in question.

"Stop that, he's different now."

"People don't change, Grace."

"Well, he has. And you can't really believe that. If that were true, you'd still be an alcoholic and Will would still be gay, and you two seem to be doing just fine." Grace was almost right. She was still an alcoholic, she couldn't deny it, but Will had changed. He had changed his sexual preferences and gotten married to her, but was he still gay? She had to wonder if he was still attracted to men. He always told her he was happy with her, and she knew he was truthful, so maybe he had changed in some way.

"I guess you're right." She sat down at her desk and placed her purse on the ground by the chair. Grace suspiciously eyed her for a moment.

"That's it? We aren't going to take the conversation to an argument?"

"Why would we do that, honey?"

"I don't know, because we always keep it going. That's what we do." She shrugged and sat on the edge of Karen's desk. "So, how are things?"

"Oh, fine." She smiled, so fake, and looked into Grace's eyes. "I just came in to see if you wouldn't mind me coming back to work. That is, if you aren't still mad at me."

"Of course I'm not still mad. It was foolish, anyway. I talked to Jack, and he helped me see that I should just be happy that you're happy. And I am."

"Are you really going back to Leo?"

"Yes." Karen nodded and thought about how Grace didn't support her relationship, really, no matter what she said, but she was willing to give them her blessings. So, in honor of friendship, she decided to give Grace and Leo her own blessings as well. It was the least she could do, and she definitely couldn't afford to lose the friendship she had.


	13. Chapter 13

She knocked on the door of Jack's apartment, which used to be Will's, and took a deep breath. It wasn't something for which she could go to Grace, she knew that for a fact. Grace would only tell Will, and that would lead to further problems. It wasn't that she wanted to keep things from him, she loved him, but she knew that he would be so disappointed with her. She didn't want to put any strain on their marriage. No, she needed Jack's help with the current situation. He was the only one she wanted.

"Karebear, I didn't know you were coming over. Come in." He smiled cheerfully and pulled his best friend into his new apartment.

"How's the new place?"

"Oh, it's fabulous!" He smiled, taking her coat to hang on the hook by the door. "I can see why Will loved living here so much."

"I'm glad you like it, honey." She took a seat on his couch, smoothing her skirt over her lap before crossing her legs. He could sense her nervousness, and he could immediately tell that it wasn't going to be one of their fun visits.

"What's on your mind, Kare?" He sat next to her, placing his hand upon hers. "You look a little nervous."

"Well, I need…um…I need your help with something." She met his beautiful, blue eyes and shrugged. Care was looking straight back at her.

"Are you okay?"

"Not really." She didn't continue for a moment, trying her best to find the correct words for what she was saying. "I need to…" She stopped once more, fiddling with the hem of her skirt.

"Come on, say it. I promise I won't judge you." She bit her lip, thinking of a way to say it. After a moment, she lifted the long sleeve of her shirt, pulling it all the way to her upper arm. She turned her arm over and his eyes widened at the sight. She had a bruise or two, and he could immediately tell that she was sticking herself. "Are those track-marks? Like, needles?"

"Yeah, Poodle." She didn't meet his eyes, staying focused on the ground. "I think I'm addicted."

"Wow. To what?"

"Heroine, cocaine, pills, alcohol, God, honey, I'm a mess." She ran her hands over her face, tears prickling in the corners of her eyes. "I promised Will I'd stop, but it's so hard. I don't know if I can do it by myself." She tried not to cry, but the tears pressed harder to the surface and were soon flowing over her cheeks. He pulled her close, wrapping her in a sweet embrace. "Please, help me."

"Oh, Karen, you don't even have to ask." He pulled her onto his lap, cradling her like a child. She cried into his chest and he held her close, running his hands over her back. "I'll set you up in Grace's old room, and you can stay here for a little while."

"No, that can't work." She raised her head and met his eyes. "I don't want Will to know."

"He's your husband. You can't lie to him." She wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head upon his shoulder. "Are you on anything right now?"

"Not since this afternoon, and I've been sick to my stomach for days." She couldn't remember the last time she felt so guilty. She loved Will more than anything, and all she wanted was to keep each of them happy, and that pressure made her feel sick. It was such a desperate time in her mind, feeling so helpless.

"It's going to be okay, Kare. I promise I won't let anything bad happen to you. You're going to be okay." She wanted so badly to believe the words of her best friend, but a new feeling sprung into her stomach. Not only did she feel guilty and pressured, she was suddenly a bit scared.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

He stared at his wife as she removed her makeup, completely oblivious to the fact that he was watching her. He loved doing that; observing her when she wasn't aware. She was so beautiful to him, and he couldn't have been happier that she agreed to spend the rest of her life in his arms. Once her makeup was removed, she took her hair out of its pins and it fell over her shoulders in waves.

Her fingers ran through the long locks, loosening the hairspray. She began putting lotion over her hands and arms, her cheeks and neck as well. He always told her how soft she was and she seemed to take pride in that, even though she always laughed at his odd compliment.

He loved her, always would, but there was something different about her in the weeks since they'd wed. It could have been because they were living together and her nieces and nephew had recently moved in as well, but he felt that she distanced herself at times. She often seemed a bit sad, under her veil of happiness, and sometimes her hair smelled of cigarette smoke. He knew she had been smoking, and he continued to wait for some kind of confession, but it hadn't happened. He didn't want to push her into anything, but if she didn't tell him about her drug use soon, he was prepared to mention the track marks upon her arms.

"Honey, why are you staring at me?" She turned to find his eyes upon her, studying her. A smile formed on her lips and she moved closer, rubbing the lotion into the skin of her hands. She stopped in front of him and took his hands in her own, applying some of her remaining lotion to his tan hands.

"I can't help it. You're beautiful." She rolled her eyes and pulled his hands around her waist to caress the small of her back while she put her arms around his neck. "Don't roll your eyes at me."

"Why wouldn't I? Your compliments are usually pretty common." She placed a kiss against his lips before meeting his eyes.

"Are you implying that I'm not sincere? Because I think you're beautiful, and, if that sounds common, then who cares?"

"I don't mind. I like hearing it." She hugged him close, laying her cheek against his shoulder. It was something she loved the most about him, how warm and inviting he was. "You're beautiful too, honey. I love you."

She seemed different at the moment, oddly sensitive. He pulled back a bit and looked into her hazel eyes. He smiled at her, noticing that her pupils weren't dilated at all. It hadn't happened for a while, but she was sober. She may have thought she was fooling him before, but her eyes always gave her away. He continued studying her face, the shades of green in her eyes, until she asked him a question.

"What?" She looked a bit offended and shrugged.

"I was just asking why you didn't say it back." It took him a moment to figure out what she was speaking of, but it caught up with him quickly enough.

"I was just looking at you. I'm sorry. Of course I love you, Kare." He pecked her lips and lifted her straight from the ground. She giggled as he carried her to their bed, her feet caressing his calves. "I love you, I love you, I love you…" He continued speaking the words as he placed playful kisses against the flesh of her neck. He lay down upon his back and pulled her atop his body, feeling her legs on either side of his hips as he continued to cover her neck in kisses.

She sat up, straddling him with a smile. With a single motion she pulled her green, silk tank-top over her head and tossed it to the floor. She leaned down to his face a pressed her lips against his, less playful than before, and she ran her fingers over his cheeks. His palms moved slowly over her back, over the straps of her bra, and came to rest on the soft skin of her hips, pushing her pants down a bit. She moved her kiss down his neck, unbuttoning his shirt as her lips caressed his skin, his stomach.

"Do you remember the first time we made love?" Her lips teased his underwear line as she pulled his pants over his hips and down his legs. He sighed as she ran her hands over his upper thighs, gently.

"How could I forget?"

"Tell me, honey. Talk about it." She touched his stomach with her tongue and began to slowly pull his boxers off his body. He cleared his voice, feeling tension in his body.

"Um…we were at a charity event at some hotel across town. You were in a purple dress, and…"

"Tell me how you did it." She continued her kisses and caresses. It was strange to hear her speak so much, but he assumed it was just another change in her personality for the moment. She was always so full of surprises.

"Well, we walked to my room and…Oh!" She took him fully in her mouth, and he could no longer find words. She rarely did that; throughout all the time they had been together. She had used her hands, but not often her mouth. It was another surprise, but he was too turned on to think any further.

She slowly pulled back, moving to the tip of his erection, before taking him in again. After a moment she added suction, a sigh escaping his lips. His fingers moved to her silky hair, and he took handfuls. But just as suddenly as she had begun, she stopped and made her way to his lips for a deep kiss. She made her way to his ear as he pushed her silk pants down her legs. His fingers slid her thong to her ankles as he passed on top of her, kissing her thighs, her stomach.

"Kiss me." He obeyed and moved back up to place a kiss upon her lips. She wrapped her legs tightly around his waist and brought her lips to his ear after a gentle kiss. "Go slow." And he did.


	14. Chapter 14

She was so cold. She used her vacation week off work to stop her addictions, hoping it wouldn't take much longer. Will would leave for work at seven o'clock and Jack would come over to the manse at seven thirty to wake her. For hours after she woke she would make continuous trips between the bathroom and her bed, shivering and shaking beneath the heavy comforter. Her stomach hurt, she had a headache, and sweat was drenching her clothing.

Jack never left her side, and he helped her hide it all from Will. He came home around five thirty every night, and she could convince him that she was just tired or had the flu, possibly cramps. He always took her excuse at face value, never questioning her pale features or the fact that she was barely eating.

"How do you feel today?" Jack smiled and crawled into bed with her, seven thirty had just appeared upon the face of the alarm clock. He pulled her close and she wrapped her arm around his waist. Her voice returned to him in a sleepy, quiet tone.

"I don't have to throw up, so I guess that's a good sign." She closed her eyes and pressed her face against his chest. "Did you make sure the kids got off to school?"

"Yeah, they just left." She smiled and took a deep breath before falling asleep again, in Jack's arms.

----------

Rosario's knock on the bedroom door caused her to wake with a jolt. She looked to her side, but Jack must have gotten up to get a snack, or something. The maid entered and began tidying the room. Karen sat up in her bed and gave the woman a dirty look.

"What the hell are you doing? I'm trying to sleep." The maid rolled her eyes and placed her hands upon her hips.

"Listen, Lady, I have a job to do, and you need to get your Gin-soaked ass out of bed so I can clean the sheets." She tossed the covers from her body and stomped from the room, grabbing her glasses from the table on her way. "Jack's in the library." The door slammed to stifle Rosario's voice.

She huffed down the hallway, down the stairs, and turned down another hallway. After a distant walk to the library, she finally found Jack. He was seated at her desk, playing games on her computer. Her mouth was in a firm line, and he could tell that she was a bit angry about something.

"Good morning, Karebear. Are you feeling better?" He smiled, hoping to bring a bit of light to her mood.

"No." Her words were sharp. "Rosario woke me."

"Well, to be fair, it is eleven o'clock. You should probable be up anyway." She scoffed and flopped down on the couch next to the desk, pulling her bare feet next to her.

"Of course you're going to take her side, queer-bait. Fuck you." He continued to look at her for a moment, astonished. She had never spoken to him in such a way, not unless they were joking.

"Don't talk to me like PMS just took over your mind. I'm not one of your maids, Karen." His words were sharp as well, but she didn't say anything in return. She bit her bottom lip, his words causing her to think.

She realized that she didn't remember the last time she had her minstrel cycle. She had continued to take her oral contraceptives, but she wasn't sure what was happening with her body. It never occurred to her that she had gone so long without a period. Though, it could have just been the stress and outtake of the drugs in her body, doing strange things to her. She had a feeling that wasn't it.

"Jackie…" She ran her hands through her hair and adjusted her glasses, trying to calm her mind. "I think I might be pregnant." His eyes widened and she held back a tear, sighing.


	15. Chapter 15

She sat the box on the counter, but couldn't make the move to open it. Days had passed since she voiced her concern to Jack, and she had finally gotten enough courage to buy a home pregnancy test. The drugs were basically out of her system. She could go back to her everyday life, and she no longer spent more time in her pajamas than her normal clothes.

After running her hands over her face, she grabbed the box from the counter. She opened it quickly, hoping it would help her gain courage and that the urge wouldn't pass before she had finished. Unfortunately, one look at the plastic test in her hand, and she was suddenly intimidated. She laid it back upon the counter and took the instructions over to the chaise lounge chair as she sat.

What would it mean if she really was pregnant? She already had three kids living with her, and that led to new experiences every day. Ann was old enough to take care of herself, for the most part, and Susie was getting to that age as well. She would turn fifteen in a couple of weeks, but Jonas, who was six, was her biggest concern. He was so young, and she didn't want him to feel left out when she suddenly had a child to care for. Of course, Will had bonded with him very well, and they were almost inseparable when he was home, but she just didn't want to make life any harder for the kids.

She also didn't want to make things harder for her and Will. There had been a strain in their relationship lately, mostly because she was hiding her habits from him, and she was hoping to get closer since she was finally sober. A baby would open up a whole new chapter in their lives, and she wasn't sure she was prepared for that.

Did Will want a child? They hadn't spoken of it, ever. They had barely spoken of their marriage before rushing to the alter, let alone a baby. Of course she knew he wanted a child eventually, he and Grace had tried once, but was it the right timing? Things had been so hectic. They had only been married for six months.

She sighed and groaned before rushing to grab the test from the counter, hurrying to complete it. As she washed her hands, she watched the small screen, and wished it would turn immediately to give her an answer. If she had to be honest, she kind of hoped it was negative. It would just make everything easier for the moment.

"Karen!" She began to panic as Will's voice filled their bedroom, right on the other side of the door. Her eyes were wide, and she rushed to put all of the items, including the test itself, back into the paper bag. She hurriedly shoved it under the sink and smiled, so fake, before opening the door to find her husband.

"Hi, honey. What are you doing home so early?" She kissed him softly before placing her palm against his cheek.

"Well, I figured I could take you to lunch. Its only noon and I thought you might be hungry."

"Oh, that's sweet, but…" She didn't have an excuse not to go, and she didn't really want to tell him about the pregnancy yet. The last time she thought she was pregnant, at the very beginning of their marriage, he became excited before she could tell him it was a false alarm. That's when it hit her, he had been excited. A certain joy filled his eyes before she crushed it with her results, and she quickly knew he would be happy. One less thing about which she had to worry.

"But what?" His words made her realize that she hadn't finished her response. How many minutes had passed? Was her test ready?

"Just let me change into something a little sexier." She gave a mischievous smile and ran her hand down his chest, hooking a finger in his belt loop.

"Something sexier, huh? Am I getting some?" She laughed and raised her eyebrows before going to get another outfit in her closet. She used the connecting door to the bathroom and locked herself inside. She hurriedly changed her clothes and rushed to the cabinet beneath the sink. Her hands shook as she took the test out of the bag, remembering that blue meant she was pregnant. She took a deep breath and opened her eyes, and tears immediately passed over her cheeks. "Are you ready, Kare?"

She opened the door, unable to stop her tears. He rushed to pull her into a hug, rubbing her back as she cried into his shoulder. He had no idea what had made her so unhappy, but he knew that she needed his support more than his questions. She pulled back and met his eyes, a vague smile on her lips. He raised his eyebrows in question.

"How would you feel about being a daddy?" His eyes widened. He was confused by her odd tone and the tears streaming down her face.

"I don't quite understand why you ask that."

"I'm pregnant, honey."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

She held him close as his fingertips traveled up her spine, tickling the bare flesh. Her lips caressed his chest above where her hand was resting. They didn't make it out of the bedroom once he found out about the results of her pregnancy test. Of course they knew that it wasn't for certain that she was pregnant, but the tests were accurate enough that it wasn't a problem to get excited about the result. His stomach growled beneath her ear and she giggled.

"We can still go to lunch, honey, if you want." She raised her head to meet his eyes, but they were closed. He had fallen asleep, tired from their strenuous activities of the afternoon. She smiled and leaned up his body to place kisses along his jaw line, over his neck. Her legs came around his waist and she straddled his hips, brushing her naked body against his own. "Will…take me to lunch." She wiggled her hips slowly and ran the tip of her tongue over his earlobe.

"If you keep doing that we'll be in bed all day. There won't be time to eat." She laughed and pulled back a bit to look at his face, he smiled.

"That's fine with me, but your stomach is going crazy." He placed a deep kiss upon her lips before rolling over on top of her body. He pressed their foreheads together.

"We're having a baby. Can you believe it?"

"Honey, we can't get too excited until I go to my doctor's appointment."

"I am, though. I never thought in a million years we'd be married, let alone having a baby." He pecked her lips and ran a hand through her dark hair. "I'm just happy."

"Will, I have to tell you something." She bit her bottom lip and thought for a moment. It hadn't occurred to her before the test showed positive, and suddenly she was afraid that her drug history could lead to a bad pregnancy. She wouldn't have worried so much about the past history, but she had been doing drugs up until about two weeks before she thought about taking the test. What if she had hurt her child? She couldn't even begin to imagine what it would feel like to be responsible for something like that. "It's kind of hard to say, I guess."

"It's my baby right?" She scoffed, but couldn't keep a smile from her face at his joke. She playfully slapped his shoulder.

"Of course it's your baby." She was thankful for his words, the amusement helped a bit. "Listen, I haven't been very honest with you about some things, and I really think you should know. I just stopped taking pills and getting high, like, last week. I lied to you before, honey, and I am so sorry. Can you forgive me?" He placed his fingers against her cheek, smiling a bit at how sincere her words were. It was sobering to hear that she was fully human, sometimes. His lips took hers once more in a gentle kiss.

"Karen, do you really think I didn't know? We've been together so long that I know you almost as well as I know myself, maybe better. The important thing is that you've stopped, and we can put that kind of stuff behind us."

"No, we can't. Honey, what if I hurt the baby? I did some hard stuff. What if it messed everything up, Will?" If he had to be honest, he'd never thought of that. He couldn't blame her for it, not really. She was the love of his life, and he could never blame her for anything, but it did sound like something about which he could be concerned.

"We'll just get every test to make sure it's healthy. That's really all we can do."

"We can pray…" He nodded and she gave him a soft smile. "Now, let's go and eat. I want to be excited for as long as we can."


	16. Chapter 16

"You're three months pregnant, and you just found out?!" Grace's exclamation made her smile. She was obviously shocked at her friends' announcement. They had all gone to an expensive restaurant, where Will and Karen made their announcement to Grace, Leo, and Jack. Of course, Jack already knew she was going to take the test, but he had yet to be told the results. "If I didn't have my period for three months, I think I would know."

"Well, I know now." She shrugged and took a sip of her sweet tea. It was true; the doctor told them that she had already passed her third month. However, that meant there was more of a chance that her drug and alcohol use could have an affect on her child. They had ordered every test that could possibly tell them about the health of Karen and the baby, and all they had left to do was wait for the results. She was so nervous.

"I've got the cutest designs for a nursery that I can't wait to show you." Grace began to speak of all the things they could do to prepare for the birth, the nursery and a baby shower, but Karen only smiled. She didn't really mind what happened, as long as she gave birth to a healthy baby. "Aw, Leo, why haven't we talked about having a baby?"

"He has to stop making out with other women, first." Karen choked on her drink when Will made his callous remark. She met his eyes and shook her head, but he looked as if he didn't know why he said it either. "I'm sorry, Gracie."

"No, wait a minute. What are you talking about?" Karen's eyes met Leo's, and he seemed pretty shocked as well. It was obvious that he had no intention of ever telling Grace what had happened between them, as trivial as it was, when she went to pack her friend's belongings for the divorce.

"I…its nothing. I think I've had too much wine." He gestured to his glass and shrugged off the conversation.

"Leo, what is he talking about?" She turned her attention back towards her husband; the divorce hadn't had much time to begin before they stopped it.

"It was no big deal, Gracie. When Karen came over to pack your clothes…"

"You made out with Karen!" If they weren't in public she would have begun to yell at him, and it would have lead to a very loud fight, but she kept her voice down to a conversing level. "What is wrong with you?"

"It's not like you haven't made out with her before."

"That's not the same."

"Why not?" They stared into one another eyes in anger for a moment before saying goodbye to their friends and taking the argument home. It would obviously be resolved soon, but having that brought out into the open like that really was a surprise. Jack smiled and took Karen's hand in his.

"Well, Karebear, looks like we have some maternity shopping to do."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Karen knocked on Ann's door before pushing it open. Her eyes widened as she came to face her niece, preparing to do a line of cocaine. The teen became speechless, and her hands were shaking.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Karen's voice was loud, and she hated that she sounded so much like a mother at that point, but it didn't matter. Ann rolled her eyes.

"I think you know. You were addicted for how long?" Her sarcasm was passed over when Karen took the mirror from the bed and walked into her bathroom to flush it down the drain. "You know how much that cost me?!"

"Yeah, I do! What are you thinking?" She threw the mirror into the trashcan. "Do you know what your mother would say if she saw this?"

"She would've never found out! You're always checking up on me like I'm a fucking child! Give me some privacy!" She tried to walk away, but Karen firmly grabbed her wrist, stopping her motion.

"You are a child, Ann! You won't always have someone to look out for you so its time to grow up!" They took a moment to calm themselves, deep breaths. Karen had always thought Ann was too smart of a girl to do something like that, the things she used to do as a kid. Tears streamed down the teen's face.

"You're a hypocrite, Aunt Karen. Grandma told me all about you, when you were my age and even older."

"And you want to be like me, honey?" She sighed, putting her hands upon her hips. "This stuff will get you in with the wrong crowd, believe me. You'll end up cold, bitter, and lonely. And, worst of all, you can never gain back the respect you lose. You need to stay sober to stay real."

"Just, what's my punishment?" Karen thought for a moment, unsure of where to go from there. Her mother had never given her any form of punishment, and she was clueless when it came to parenting. She took another deep breath.

"Okay, I know there's nothing I can say to control you, you know that too. So, my punishment is that you need to check in with me every morning before you leave for school and every night before you go to bed. Curfew is nine o'clock on school nights, ten on weekends. Your door is not allowed to be closed, and I don't want you to ever do drugs again."

"You can't stop me. I'll do it if I want to." She crossed her arms defiantly over her chest, raising her eyebrows. Karen shrugged.

"Ann, I love you like you were my own daughter, but if you do it again you're going to live with your dad. Don't make me give up." Her face took a sober look, and she realized that her aunt was serious. Panic arose within her chest. She didn't want to live with her father, he was harsh and she was always so afraid of him.

"You'd get rid of me?"

"I won't have you setting a bad example for your little sister. Just remember what I said." She began to walk away, feeling as if she didn't handle the situation the correct way. She deeply wanted to help Ann, to punish her correctly, but she knew all too well that no amount of punishment would change her decisions. As she walked out the door, she felt a hand upon her shoulder, stopping her.

"Please, stop." She turned to see tears streaming down her niece's face. "Please don't send me away, Aunt Karen. I promise I'll never do it, I've never even tried. I don't want Susie to think I'm a druggie; I don't want you to think that. Please." Karen pulled her into a hug and held the girl while she sobbed into her chest. She was surprised, to say the least, that her words had effected Ann in such a way. But she was so glad they did.


	17. Chapter 17

"Grace Adler Designs." Karen answered the phone in a chipper tone, wishing for nothing more than to be home. She felt tired, as her doctor said she might, and she wasn't in a very good mood. It had been since her doctor's appointment that she had gotten a decent night of sleep. She was so worried about the results of her tests she was certain she couldn't handle it for much longer. "Yes, this is she."

The doctor began to speak to her, giving her the results of her tests. Her heart pounded within her chest, and she bit her bottom lip as he spoke. After a moment, she hung up and took her purse from the ground. Grace called after her, but she didn't stop.

----------

"Hi, Kare. What brings you here?" Will smiled as he saw his wife enter his office, but his smile soon turned to a frown. She looked painfully numb. He quickly stood from his chair and moved towards her as she closed the door. "What's going on?"

"The doctor called."

"With the test results?" She nodded, licking her lips. "Well, what did he say? Is everything alright?"

"All of the tests were fine, but there was one he wanted to do now that I'm fourteen weeks along. It's the one for Trisomy twenty-one."

"When do we go?"

"I just went by there this morning and he did an amniocentesis thing, with the needle. Oh, honey, I am so on edge." He pulled her into a hug, running his hands over her back.

"Everything is going to be fine, sweetie. There's still a big chance we can have a healthy baby." She took in his scent and allowed him to hold her close.

"How is it that whenever you say thing like that I feel like I have to believe you."

"Because I care about you more than anything, and we're all going to be fine."

Still, she had a bit of doubt, but a new feeling arose within. It wasn't the fear she had recently been experiencing, but something different. It was hope. She had hope that the future would be good, no matter what the results of the test were. She knew that if God thought she could take care of a child, under whatever circumstance, then it was meant to be. The doctor called a few days later with the results. Their baby was healthy.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

She looked at the little picture lying on the bed in front of her. Her large stomach loomed over her lap, and she ran a hand over it. Her baby boy kicked against her hand, causing her to smile. She could barely fathom the idea that she was going to be a mother. The baby was due any day, her actual due date had been a week earlier, and she was very excited.

Will walked into the bedroom and handed her a glass of water. She smiled and he sat on the bed next to her, kissing her lips. He was using his vacation week to stay with her, afraid that she would go into labor without him there. It was so sweet to her that he didn't want to miss one minute of her pregnancy, or the birth.

"Are you still feeling weird?"

"A little dizzy, but the doctor said that's normal." She smiled and took his hand in her own, placing it over her kicking child. "Isn't that the oddest feeling, honey? I kind of like it."

"Does it tickle?"

"Not really…it's kind of hard to explain. It's more of a fluttering." A giggled passed between her lips and she leaned over to kiss him. "I have to pee, again." She stood from the bed and slid her feet into her slippers. She began to walk at a decent pace, but slowed as she came to the center of the room. Her eyes met Will's, her mouth agape. He sat up and tossed his legs over the side of the bed.

"Karen?"

"Honey, I think my water just broke." Their smiles met for a moment before he rushed her to the hospital. They had a healthy baby boy and life was bright. The future was bright, and their love was continuing to blossom every day. After fighting their feelings for too long, they knew happiness would remain because they finally allowed themselves to surrender to love. And perhaps that was all they needed.

The End


End file.
